Now that JT and Austin know there's an AI of Roan in existence and that it's being imprisoned by the magus Firelight, the two of them (an orc and an elf), Comet (a hacker), Buzz (a supersoldier), and Dante (JT's orc mentee) are planning on breaking her out. But Austin has a second goal: to get JT back in his life, for real this time.

*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*

This was a great ending to a trilogy that has been a unique, raunchy, sexually charged, but ultimately sweet mash-up of urban fantasy and cyberpunk.

This final book seemed to have less action than the previous two and a slower pace, but I didn’t mind. The characters had some things they needed to sort out, within themselves and with each other. They also had a break-out to plan and prepare for. And there were some chapters that showed us what actually happened during and after The Job That Went Bad. That contributed to the slower pace, but it was important background information because of how it impacted JT and Austin and the current happenings in the story.

There was definitely some sex as well, and some of it was just thrown in there for the hell of it, but the actual sex scenes didn’t overtake the story this time the way they somewhat seemed to in the first book. But even when it wasn’t happening on-page, the book was very sexually charged, which is not a complaint because that’s how all the books have been, and it’s fitting for the characters. There was also one scene that was, ahh… a little different.

Tentacles. There were tentacles. Lots of them.

Although the tentacles may have been a bit extreme for my taste, something I liked was how the sex in this book was not perfect and beautiful. It was definitely enjoyable for the characters, but the author didn’t shy away from some of the less pretty realities. This was also fitting for the characters because they were not the types to have perfect, pretty, sanitized sex. They were the types to get down and dirty and love it.

Speaking of the characters… I love JT and Austin. I love that they’re these rough, tough, criminal, masculine dudes, but they don’t suffer from toxic masculinity. They love. They care. They cry. They feel. And I’ve really enjoyed getting to know them and seeing things through their unique perspectives because they’re both so different from me. The fact that they’re an orc and a elf just made it even better because I love supernatural creatures (plus the elf glamour was really cool and different from any other way I’ve ever seen glamour done).

I also loved their relationship. It was not a traditional romance. Things between them have been so taut and difficult since the first book because of the history between them. Mistakes have been made on both sides. But they’ve always cared about and wanted each other, that much was clear. And they have a great, raw chemistry. And whenever they were honest and open and vulnerable with each other, it was amazing.

There was also the interesting cyberpunk aspect of the story. It was mostly technology that was already in the previous books, but it was still so unique, and the author just throws the reader right into the world and lets you figure things out from context instead of stopping the narrative to explain.

Orcs, elves, advanced technology, crime, evil wizards, sex, romance—this series has been a really interesting combination of things, and I found this to be a satisfying ending to an enjoyable story!

JT was a perfectly happy orc building cars in the Arizona desert until his old friend and sometimes lover Austin showed up and talked him into one last crime. Now “one last crime” has snowballed. With a new team of thieves—a supersoldier, a hacker, a driver, a graffiti artist, and a seafaring wizard—JT and Austin are determined to free an artificial intelligence from the dungeon of the Burning Magus.

For JT, this job is more than a prison break; it’s a do-over of The Job That Went Bad two years ago, the catastrophe in which JT lost his closest friend and then chose to abandon everything, even Austin. Maybe this time no one will die. Maybe this time JT can return to Arizona and bury his old life for good.

Except Austin won’t be buried. After two years alone, Austin knows he wants JT—not just as a partner in crime, but as the lover he always should have been. Maybe this time they won’t make the same mistakes, especially when it comes to each other.

Weeeelllllll… he’s more gelatinous goop that forms and re-forms in what sometimes looks like tentacle-type shapes. This was all the internet needed. And yes… there are many things I didn’t need to read… thanks to fandom I’m a totally un-innocent virgin! Lol.

I er… don’t know how I would feel about tentacles in the sex scene but well, to each their own! I really like that the sex isn’t overtaking the story line though, even though sometimes they still feel thrown in for the sake of being thrown in. The characters sound wonderful though! I love that they are so unique in all their talents and their niches. Sounds like such a cool team to read working together. Happy you were satisfied with the end of the series ^.^

I hate it when trilogies switch characters just for the second book because then I have to read it, but I don’t end up liking it because I’m not into those characters. But yeah, I was happy with this ending. Is your review up on your blog yet? I looked but couldn’t find it.